Last week ended with a multitude of projects needing finishing and blocking so on Monday morning I set to blocking Fódhla the second shawl in my Irish trilogy series and a sister shawl to Ériu. Having just gotten a new set of blocking wires I decided to give them their maiden blocking on Fódhla. Wow! How quick and easy are they! I was left wondering why I’d not invested in them long before now *facepalm

Within a day or two she was dry and off the mats and a good job as well because Monday morning also saw the postie make a yarn delivery with the much awaited extra yarn to finish off last weeks design. Monday evening became a flurry of finishing off it and the sulky yarn.

Wednesday I landed both designs onto the blocking mats and that seems to have ended most of my knitting for the week, it got so busy I think I may have met myself a time or two. But by Friday everything was starting to slow down just in time for the weekend and all projects were dry, ends finished and they then needed photographing.

I can show full reveal pictures today, no half teasers although if you’ve found me on instagram, twitter or on facebook you’ll have seen some shots already, I’ve put links on the words in case you do want to find me 😉

Anyway first up the project which was sulking and then was hymming and hawing over what it wanted to be called, let me present Danu,

Danu are my first fingerless mittens design and I’ll be doing a blog post for them tomorrow so do check back to hear about her name and see lots of other pictures.

Danu

On Saturday I managed to get a dry spot in the middle of the day so I hauled the next two projects outdoors to get some much needed outdoor shots because nothing quite beats natural daylight.

Fódhla looked spectacular and I’ll have a blog post on her on Tuesday with lots more shots of her. I unashamadely used some local points of attraction around my area for all the outdoor shots.

Fódhla

Lastly I had a new colour combination on my Sean Bláthanna design, this time I worked it in a charcoal grey and mustard colouring. I’ve been thinking of these colours for sometime and just needed the free time to work up the design. I need to get shots next weekend of it being worn.

Sean Bláthanna

I have been asked about the yarn and what it is. The yarn for both Danu and Fódhla is a hand dyed yarn right here in Ireland from a company called Life in the Long Grass. Danu’s colourway is called Tin Shed and Fódhlas colourway is called Emerald Eve.

What I’m working on right now are another pair of Danu, this time in a small size as the sample picture are a medium size. One is done, fits me like a glove and it shouldn’t take too long to work up the second in the smaller size.

Danu

I’ve also caked up this yarn ready to start the last shawl in the Irish trilogy, Banbha.

Banbha

And lastly I may work with both these colours this week on a project, it’s a new variation of a previous idea.

New project

To check out other blogs taking in this yop year or to take part yourself read all about us here on Ravelry.

Oh Ruth, you are SO talented. Each and every one of those projects is beautiful! I love those yarns too. Is Sean a scarf or a shawl; I couldn’t quite tell although your photography is gorgeous? Are those buttons on the end? I’m not sure what the difficulty ratings are on your patterns but I’d like to give them a go someday. I wonder how kits would sell or how many others like me see the pattern and the yarn and want one exactly like your pictures? Of course, your skill as a knitter wold be hard to package! LOL! Congratulations on your wonderful achievements!

Thank goodness you got blocking wires! I considered getting myself some but it turns out I just like knitting socks so never mind 🙂 Can’t wait to see the photos with points of local interest. I’m itching to travel in your direction but life keeps getting in the way of those plans. LOVE the yarn and beads for the next shawl!!

I am so glad you got so much accomplished this week. Your shawls are lovely and I really like the design of the mitts. I love blocking wires. I too, took forever buying a set, since I hardly ever use wool. But they work well with all fibers, I have since found out. Good Job this week Ruth.